Argyranthemum plant named ‘Ohmadsaca’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum  plant named ‘Ohmadsaca’, characterized by its compact, uniform and mounded plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; anemone type inflorescences with light purple-colored ray florets and purple-colored disc florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Argyranthemum×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Ohmadsaca’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Ohmadsaca’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new Argyranthemum cultivars with numerous inflorescences, attractive floret colors, and good garden performance.

The new Argyranthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2001 in Winmalee, New South Wales, Australia of a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum×hybrida identified as code number 01-180, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum×hybrida identified as code number 00-151, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Argyranthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Winmalee, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Winmalee, New South Wales, Australia in September, 2003. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Ohmadsaca have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Ohmadsaca’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Ohmadsaca’ as a new and distinct potted Argyranthemum cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, uniform and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching and vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Anemone type inflorescences with light purple-colored ray         florets and purple-colored disc florets.     -   5. Good performance.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum and the female parent         selection differ in ray floret color as plants of the female         parent selection have light pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum are more compact than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum have anemone type         inflorescences whereas plants of the male parent selection         having single inflorescences.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum can be compared to plants of the Argyranthemum cultivar Ohmadsaom, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,630. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Winmalee, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Argyranthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Ohmadsaom in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum were more freely branching         than plants of the cultivar Ohmadsaom.     -   2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had narrower leaves than         plants of the cultivar Ohmadsaom.     -   3. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had larger inflorescences and         larger ray florets than plants of the cultivar Ohmadsaom.     -   4. Plants of the new Argyranthemum and the cultivar Ohmadsaom         differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar         Ohmadsaom had white-colored ray florets and cream-colored disc         florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Argyranthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Argyranthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Ohmadsaca’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Ohmadsaca’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in a greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Argyranthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 25° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C. Plants were pinched one time. Plants used in the photographs and for the description were about three months old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except the general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Argyranthemum×hybrida cultivar Ohmadsaca. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Argyranthemum×hybrida identified as code number 01-180, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Argyranthemum×hybrida identified as code number 00-151, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About six to eight days at             temperatures of about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three to four             weeks at temperatures of about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous anemone type potted Argyranthemum.             Compact, uniform and mounded plant habit. Strong and freely             branching growth habit with about 26 lateral branches             developing per plant; dense and full plants. Vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19.6 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 24.8 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About             2.2 mm. Internode length: About 8 mm. Strength: Strong;             young stems, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             139D. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Pinnatifid.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             143A; venation, 144D. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 138A; venation, 144D.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 143A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Anemone type inflorescence form with elongated             oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals             above foliage. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on             a capitulum. Inflorescences slightly fragrant.         -   Flowering season.—Plants flower from spring to early fall in             Japan; flowering continuous during this period.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about seven to             ten days on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about two open             inflorescences per lateral branch at one time.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 4.5 mm. Diameter: About             5.4 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 162D.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.3 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.1 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.5 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 1.9 cm.             Width: About 6 mm. Apex: Emarginate, praemorse. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 22 arranged in two whorls. Color: When             opening, upper surface: N74B. When opening, lower surface:             N74C. Fully opened, upper surface: 77C. Fully opened, lower             surface: 75C.         -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.             Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About             9 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 3 mm. Number of disc florets             per inflorescence: About 170. Color, immature: 46B. Color,             mature: Apex: 59A to N78A. Mid-section: 76C. Base: 158C.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence:             About 25. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             margins, papery. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A to             144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.7 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: Upright to outwardly arching with weight of the             inflorescences. Strength: Moderately strong, flexible.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A overlain with 184A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal.             Anther color: 17C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Gynoecium: Present             on both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About 4 mm.             Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: 17C.             Ovary color: 144D.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Argyranthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the Argyranthemum have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures from about 0° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Argyranthemum plant named ‘Ohmadsaca’ as illustrated and described. 